THINGS THAT GO BUMP IN THE NIGHT

It was eleven pm and H was comfortably watching tv in his recliner and I was stretched out on the sofa reading. Suddenly we heard a loud bump against the window opposite us. We looked at each other, our eyes wide and mouthing quietly, “What was that?”

It had been raining all evening and the wind had begun to blow so our first thought was a limb had fallen. Then we remembered our squirrel feeder had been found on the ground that morning with all the seed missing.

This was the feeder I had given H for his birthday. It was plexiglass and attached to the window so we could watch the birds feeding up close. Guaranteed to be squirrel proof! We had seen one squirrel jump from the window ledge to steal the seed, failing in his endeavor. The drop seven or eight feet to the ground from the feeder had left them all at bay. Greedy little things! They had plenty of feed out in the yard and robbed the other feeders all day.

Anyway, squirrels didn’t come out at night to feed. So H got out his trusty little flashlight to find the culprit. He was thinking it was probably a raccoon. I stayed inside ready to dial 911 if that hungry animal or whatever it was decided H might make some good dessert.

It was a coon. He was sitting on the fence staring him down as in a gunfight at the OK Coral. Neither blinked. Both wanted that food tray, but H won the battle and walked away unscathed.

Now we have to bring the bird feeder in at night along with the cat food, otherwise the coons and the possums have a heyday. Our cats don’t get midnight snacks around here unless Andrew is home and decides they need to eat. He does this so they will like him. Foster and Tigger are so neurotic and not always friendly.

H has to put the food out every morning and if he’s late with it they are waiting at the door and the turtles are waiting with them. He better get that bird feeder back up on time because I’d hate to see what those birds might do if their breakfast was late.

About Elle Knowles

Elle Knowles lives in the Florida Panhandle with her husband and off-at-college-most-of-the-time son. She has four daughters, one son, and eleven beautiful grandchildren. 'Crossing the Line' is her first novel. The sequel 'What Line' is a work in progress. Recently published is Coffee-Drunk Or Blind - a nonfiction story of homesteading in the Alaska wilderness with her parents and four siblings, told through letters by her mother and remembered accounts from the family.

We never get pecans because of those squirrels! Yes, raccoons can be very aggressive I’ve heard. We haven’t gotten close enough to find out though! Lol! Good to hear from you Curtis. I’ve been very slack in my reading of blogs these last few months. I need to catch up with yours! ~Elle

I have a possum that likes to run the top rail of my gate! You go out the back door, and there he is, just looking down at you. I keep telling myself those teeth are just for show and he eats bugs, but wow!

The squirrels haven’t been able to get to it – not that they haven’t tried. Just when we thought we had a squirrel proof feeder the raccoons get in the act! Such a little bit of seed for so much trouble!